Gravity traveling toy.



'1. T. BRENEMAN.

GRAVITY TRAVELING TOY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE'Z. ll.

Patented Sept. 2l, 19

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JOSEPH T. BRENEIVIAN, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRAVITY TRAVELING TOY.

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Application led .Tune 21, 1915. Serial No. 35,287.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH T. BRENEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, havev invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gravity Traveling Toys, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to hopping or leaping or jumpingtoys and is to be used in connection with an inclined plane, the object being to dispense with the use of all springs in its make-up, thus eliminating' the objectionable feature of windingup the spring and securing greaterv durability; to secure as ch realism as possible, to so arrange the parts that the toy will, by gravity, automatically hop, leap, jump or walk down an inclined surface, and to simplify the construction of such toys, thus reducing the cost of manufacture and eliminating to a great extent all need of repairs, all of which objects, among others, are accomplished by the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter to bel more particularly set forth,.described and claimed.V

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l represents a side elevation of a toy embodying my invention, the figure being shown in full lines in .its initial position, then in dotted lines in intermediate position, that is, just as its front legs hit the inclined surface, and lastly, lin its final position with the pivoted legs striking against the rear lower part of the front legs to throw them forward and upward g and Fig. 2 represents a perspective view, in full lines, of the same gure with the lugs of the back feet against the front legs, as in the third position of Fig.v l, and in dotted lines with the body striking against the stop, as in the rst position of Fig. l, these being the two extremes of movement of the two parts with relation to each other.

In the drawing this invention has been embodied in a monkey, and in this specication it will be described, for the sake of convenience land brevity, as embodied in a quadruped, but it is quite apparent that it may be embodied in the form of anything, animate or inanimate, and the appended claims should be construed accordingly.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, A represents an inclined path or track down which the figure may travel, this track being easily portable and intended to be sold with each lfigure for the purpose stated, though their elbows and in this construction forming a fulcrum about which the body rocks. This body portion may be entirely integral or composed of two longitudinal sections welded or otherwise suitably secured together and it may be solid or hollow.

Heavy'rear-legs 6 connected by a stop 7, which preferably is integral therewith, are pivotally connected, by means of the pin or pivot 8 passing through Isaid legs and the trunk 3, to the body portion 1and are bent at the knee to about the same degree as the forelegs and havelaterally and inwardly eX- tending lugs 9 integral with their feet, said lugs extending back of the forelegs 5 and engaging with the rear thereof on the for ward swing of the hind-legs 6. The stop 7 strikes against the body portion 3 and thus prevents the legs 6 from turning to an inoperative position.

The forward portion of the body in front j of the pivot 8 slightly overbalances the portion to the rearthereofand in operation the figure will be placed at the top of an inclined plane A, with its tail l pressed down so that the under part of the rear portion of the trunk 3 behind the pivot 8 strikes against the stop 7 the pressure is then removed and the figure starts on its travel, assuming its first dotted line position in Fig. 1, with the forelegs striking the surface of the incline and, next, rocking slightly forward on them, lifting the rear legs from contact with said surface and allowing them to swing forward on the pivot 8, when. they will strike the rear of the forelegs 5, just as they are about starting to rebound,4 with their lugs 9, knocking the legs 5 forward and upward and carrying the body portion with them until it strikes against thefstop 7, rocking the figure as a whole back on the hindlegs 6 and at the same time kicking the latter slightly forward, they being then in sliding Various minor changes, alterations and modifications may be made inthe arrangement of the several parts without departing froln the spirit of my invention, which is meant to be `fully protected by the appended claims. y

For convenience the terms rear-legs, legs, or pivoted legs, as used in the claims are to be construed to mean any element or elements havin le s 6 herein efore referred to.

aving thus described my inventionywhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hopping toy adapted to travel down an incline by the force of gravity and comprising a body portion and a rear portion, these two parts being pivotally connected at a point slightly to the rear of the center of gravity of the former, said body portion belng provided with a fulcrum about which the body may rock.

2. A gravity hopping toy comprising a body portion and a pair of legs pivotally connected thereto at a point to the rear of the center of gravity of said body portion,A

.said body portlon being provided with a ful crum about which the body may rock an.

Asaid legs carrying lugs adapted to strike against the body portion of said fulcrum in their eXtreme forward position.

3. A hopping toy comprising a body portion and a pair of legs pivotally connected thereto. at a point slightly to the rear of the same function as the rearthe center of gravityv of the body portion, said legs carrying integral lugs adapted to strike against the body portion in their extreme forward position, and said body portion being provided with a fulcrum about which it Imay rock, in combination with an inclined'surface down which said toy travels.

4. A hopping toy comprising a body portion and a pair of legs pivotally connected thereto at a point to the rear of the center of gravity of the body portion', said body portion being provided with a fulcrum on which it may rock and said legs being provided with a stop limiting the upward movement of said body portion.

5. A hopping toy comprising a body pol'- tion and a pair of legs pivotally connected to the body portion ata point to the rear of the center of gravity ofthe body portion, lugs integral with said legs and adapted to strike against the body portion provided with a fulcrum about which it may rock on the forward movement of said legs, and a stop' integral with said legs, limiting the upward movement of said body portion with relation to said legs, and transmitting to l said legs the force of the impact of the body therewith to kick said legs forward.

v In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence` of two witnesses.

JOSEPH T. BRENEMAN. Witnesses:

HERMAN WATSON, GEORGE J. SIEFERT. 

